D.C. LLC Cost: $99 to File + $300 Biennial Report (2026)

Make your D.C. business official. Have your LLC paperwork prepared and filed so you can focus on getting your business off the ground.

• Your business name checked before filing.
• Your formation paperwork prepared and submitted.
• Your formation documents together in an online account.

$0 service fee + $99 District filing fee

Start my D.C. LLC

Filing service by ZenBusiness. Choose Starter for the $0 service fee. State follow-up charges and optional services and renewals are separate.

We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no additional cost to you.

Get the paperwork handled and your company underway

With ZenBusiness, you provide the details and its team handles the D.C. formation filing. You get electronic documents and customer support by phone, chat and email.

Use your approved LLC records to open a company bank account, organize your ownership agreement and do business under the company name. The state-specific costs and next steps below help you plan what comes after approval.

What it costs to start a D.C. LLC

A Washington, D.C. LLC costs $99 to form for the certificate of organization with the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) Corporations Division. The recurring DLCP filing is a biennial report at $300 (late fee $100). The first report is due April 1 of the year after registration, then every two years.

Start with the DLCP Limited Liability Company fee schedule. These are government charges, separate from anything a formation company bills you.

Budget example: $99 to form plus $300 for the first biennial report equals $399 across those two DLCP filings (for an LLC registered in 2026, the first report is due April 1, 2027). That is not an all-in startup budget: permits, insurance, Office of Tax and Revenue accounts, professional help, and subscriptions are separate.

The $99 and $300 figures are DLCP Corporations Division fees—not a franchise tax. D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue generally requires a nonexempt unincorporated business with more than $12,000 of D.C. gross receipts to file Form D-30; see the tax section below for the rate, minimums, deadline, and exemptions.

Choose the services you want with your filing

Starter’s base formation service does not renew. Registered-agent service, an EIN service, an operating agreement and faster preparation are optional purchases.

The preselected website-builder trial renews at $15/month after 30 days; you can remove it at checkout. Optional Worry-Free Compliance is free for the first year and renews at $199/year. Registered-agent service is listed separately at $199/year; first-year promotions may differ.

Review the services and renewal terms in your order. Provider details checked October 14, 2026 against ZenBusiness’s formation plans.

How to start your D.C. LLC

Use your company details to get the formation paperwork prepared and submitted. Here is how the filing service works:

1. Enter your business details. Choose D.C., your company name and the information requested for the filing.
2. Review your services and order. Select Starter for the $0 base service fee. ZenBusiness prepares and submits the formation document from your answers.
3. Save your approved company records. Once the filing office accepts the paperwork, use the documents to finish your banking and business setup.

Your D.C. filing checklist and required next steps

1. Check the name. Search BOSS/CorpOnline and include an LLC designator. Optional name reservation/transfer is $50 on the LLC fee schedule. Filing acceptance is not a trademark clearance.
2. Gather addresses and agent details. Have the District registered-agent information, principal-office details required on Form DLC-1 / the online questionnaire, and organizer information ready.
3. Decide who manages the company. Agree on ownership and management before banking or contracts. Ask your bank what documents it needs.
4. Review and submit. Prefer BOSS online filing (credit card or e-check). Walk-in customers are charged the $100 one-day expedite in addition to regular fees. Mail is slower.
5. Confirm acceptance. Save the acknowledgment and filed documents, check the public record, and retain receipts. A payment receipt alone is not proof every detail was accepted correctly.

Check your proposed name in the D.C. business search.

How long does approval take?

DLCP FAQs describe non-expedited online filings as typically processed within about 5 business days; expedite options are posted at $50 (3-day) and $100 (1-day). Walk-in equals mandatory same-day expedite. A service’s preparation time is separate from DLCP review. ZenBusiness lists standard preparation at 7–10 business days before state processing; District review follows the service’s preparation.

If a lease, financing, or opening date depends on the LLC, leave room for corrections. Completing an online questionnaire is not the moment the company is approved.

Can I file directly with D.C.?

Yes. You can prepare and submit the filing yourself through the D.C. official LLC filing service. A formation service handles preparation and submission from the information you provide. The government charges and required follow-up steps above still apply.

Choose your D.C. registered agent

D.C. entities must maintain a registered agent in the District. A member may serve if they meet D.C. registered-agent eligibility, including physical District address requirements. Confirm current rules in the BOSS filing flow and D.C. Code Title 29. Change-of-agent filings have separate fees on the LLC schedule ($50 listed).

Consider whether you can reliably receive legal documents at that District address. If your day is spent at client sites or outside D.C., a commercial agent may be more practical. Compare delivery procedures and renewal costs before choosing.

Plan your address use before filing. DLCP records are publicly searchable. The registered-agent address is one field; principal-office and other required addresses are separate. Ask which address fields the agent service covers. Supply accurate information in every field.

D.C. LLC biennial report: what happens after formation?

The biennial report updates or confirms the District’s business record; it is not an income-tax return. An active LLC must file even when its information has not changed. See the DLCP domestic LLC page and D.C. Code § 29-102.11.

Example: an LLC whose public organic record becomes effective in 2026 has its first biennial report due April 1, 2027, then April 1 every two years thereafter. The fee is $300; late fee $100. Set reminders, verify the contact email, and save the filing confirmation. If you buy compliance assistance, check that the report was actually submitted.

Continued nonfiling can lead to administrative dissolution. Budget OTR tax registrations separately from this DLCP biennial fee.

Starting near year-end? First-report timing keys off the calendar year the public organic record became effective. Choose any delayed effective date (if offered) around your actual start—not only around the fee calendar.

Get your D.C. LLC filing underway

Put the formation paperwork in ZenBusiness’s hands. Starter has a $0 service fee plus the applicable D.C. charges detailed above.

Start my D.C. LLC

Continue to ZenBusiness to enter your details and review your order. Optional services and renewal details.

We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no additional cost to you.

Put your approved LLC to work

• Document how the LLC works. An operating agreement can set ownership, contributions, decision-making, distributions, and exit arrangements. D.C.’s filing office generally does not require you to file the agreement with the formation paperwork—keep it with your company records. For multiple owners, resolve disagreements before money or contracts are committed.Use the basic LLC operating agreement tool as a starting point.
• Get an EIN when needed. Form the entity first, then use the free IRS application if eligible. A paid EIN service handles the application for you. Save the confirmation for banking and tax records.
• Open your business bank account. Ask the bank for its document checklist and establish a bookkeeping process. Use the correct legal business name on applications and contracts; keep any trade-name registrations consistent.
• Complete taxes and operating approvals. LLC formation does not itself select S-corporation taxation or issue a professional license. The IRS explains LLC tax classifications. Identify the state and local requirements for your actual work before opening.
• Check the current BOI rule. As of this review, FinCEN exempts entities created in the United States from beneficial-ownership reporting. A newly created domestic LLC generally falls within that exemption. Consult FinCEN directly for the current rule.

Insurance guidance for your D.C. business

Match coverage to your services, employees, equipment and client contracts. Start with the relevant guide:

• D.C. cleaning business insurance
• D.C. food truck insurance
• D.C. HVAC insurance
• D.C. landscaping insurance
• D.C. daycare insurance

Continue with the D.C. business guide for the broader startup process.

D.C. unincorporated-business franchise tax

The $300 DLCP biennial report is separate from tax. A nonexempt unincorporated business with more than $12,000 of D.C. gross receipts generally files Form D-30 and pays tax at 8.25%. The minimum is $250 when D.C. gross receipts are $1 million or less and $1,000 when they exceed $1 million. A calendar-year D-30 is generally due April 15.

Important exemptions include a business deriving more than 80% of gross income from members’ personal services when capital is not a material income-producing factor, and certain businesses that cannot legally or ethically incorporate. Review OTR’s franchise-tax rates and exemptions and the current D-30 instructions for your facts.

D.C. LLC questions before you start

This guide is for creating a new D.C. LLC. If you already have an LLC formed in another state, check D.C. foreign-registration requirements before creating a second company.

Page updated October 14, 2026. State-source review: September 14, 2026. ZenBusiness package terms checked October 14, 2026.